A £20m-plus development in Coventry city centre has helped transform the city’s leisure economy – with new figures revealing record footfalls.

Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre, Broadgate, Coventry, West Midlands. Exterior artist impression.Cathedral Lanes has been transformed by Shearer Property Group, which bought the former shopping centre in 2014, and has brought eight brands to the city for the first time.

Now the latest bar-restaurant – The Botanist – has revealed it has attracted around 40,000 customers in less than three months after opening.

The Botanist was the latest occupier of the two-storey building.

The first phase of the development opened in 2015 and brought Cosy Club, Las Iguanas and Wagamama to Coventry.

The Botanist is joined by Zizzi and Bistrot Pierre in the second phase, while MOD Pizza will open in March and Turtle Bay later this year.

Shearer Property Group is the City Council’s partner in the City Centre South and Precinct developments, and will be showcasing its work in the city at MIPIM – the world’s largest property development and investment show.

The company is a member of the Coventry & Warwickshire MIPIM Partnership which is made up of around 20 private sector companies and organisations who promote the area’s presence at the four-day event as part of the UK Midlands.

Guy Shearer said: “Cathedral Lanes is playing a pivotal role in helping the development of the city centre, as is the transformation of The Precinct area, which is now on site for delivery before 2021 City of Culture and that is certainly a message which we and Coventry will be taking to investors at MIPIM.”